When the result came in yesterday Mark Mardell looked shocked and sounded exasperated. The BBC has continually been running this line in its reporting of Ireland’s historic vote on the Lisbon Treaty:

“Just over three million Irish voters are registered – in a European Union of 490 million people.”

The implication is clear. Those beastly Paddies are depriving everyone else in Europe of the benefits of the Lisbon Treaty. They want to convey the image of a minority running rough shod over every one else. The BBC fails to mention that Ireland is not depriving Europeans of their say. It is the only member state which gave its people a say on the matter. It is the other member states who are depriving their people of a say lest they give the wrong answer. In those states, like Britain, it is their legislatures who decide what is best and hang what the people feel.

The BBC’s comparison is bogus because it is comparing an electorate with a population – many of whom will be young babes in arms who have no say anyway. A Scottish co-conspirator has taken time and trouble to tot up the legislators in the other member states so we can see the reality of who decides on our European future. 15 member states have unicameral legislatures:

LEGISLATURE

MEMBERS

Austria

245

Bulgaria

240

Cyprus

59

Denmark

179

Estonia

101

Finland

200

Greece

300

Hungary

386

Latvia

100

Lithuania

141

Luxembourg

60

Malta

69

Portugal

230

Slovakia

150

Sweden

349

TOTAL

2,809

And the remaining 11 are bicameral.

STATE

LOWER HOUSE

UPPER HOUSE

TOTAL

Belgium

150

71

221

Czech Republic

200

81

281

France

577

321

898

Germany

613

69

682

Italy

630

315

945

Netherlands

150

75

225

Poland

460

100

560

Romania

332

137

469

Slovenia

90

40

130

Spain

350

264

614

United Kingdom

646

745

1,391

6,416

In total there are a mere 9,225 people deciding the European future for 490 million people outside of Ireland.

The real comparison with Ireland is even far more dramatic and much less democratic than the image the BBC has been projecting….